Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians — Tasks

Task statements

• Mount and secure lens blanks or optical lenses in holding tools or chucks of cutting, polishing, grinding, or coating machines.
• Inspect lens blanks to detect flaws, verify smoothness of surface, and ensure thickness of coating on lenses.
• Set up machines to polish, bevel, edge, or grind lenses, flats, blanks, or other precision optical elements.
• Inspect, weigh, and measure mounted or unmounted lenses after completion to verify alignment and conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.
• Shape lenses appropriately so that they can be inserted into frames.
• Clean finished lenses and eyeglasses, using cloths and solvents.
• Mount, secure, and align finished lenses in frames or optical assemblies, using precision hand tools.
• Examine prescriptions, work orders, or broken or used eyeglasses to determine specifications for lenses, contact lenses, or other optical elements.
• Adjust lenses and frames to correct alignment.
• Select lens blanks, molds, tools, and polishing or grinding wheels, according to production specifications.
• Position and adjust cutting tools to specified curvature, dimensions, and depth of cut.
• Assemble eyeglass frames and attach shields, nose pads, and temple pieces, using pliers, screwdrivers, and drills.
• Set dials and start machines to polish lenses or hold lenses against rotating wheels to polish them manually.
• Repair broken parts, using precision hand tools and soldering irons.
• Immerse eyeglass frames in solutions to harden, soften, or dye frames.
• Lay out lenses and trace lens outlines on glass, using templates.
• Control equipment that coats lenses to alter their reflective qualities.
• Remove lenses from molds and separate lenses in containers for further processing or storage.